A New Point of View
by PerditaAlottachocolate
Summary: As a result of otherwise quite enjoyable afternoon in the park both Marinette and Adrien suddenly saw their own actions towards certain people from a new perspective. And they didn't like what they saw. They both decided it was time to make up for past mistakes. And somehow the love square gets reversed.
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

There's a park in the 21st arrondissement of Paris, full of sunshine on this mid February day. Currently it is also full of laughter, the source of which is a couple seated on a bench. A girl and a boy, chatting happily. You can tell they are enjoying each other's company. The boy's hair is pale blonde, and his green eyes lit up when he looks at the girl. Her hair bring to your mind the sight of the night sky. If you could look into her eyes, you would see they're the color of bluebell. But you can't see them, because she's looking at her feet, still not entirely at ease with this situation.

They've been chatting for some time, but now the girl pulls a notebook out of her backpack and begins to note something down, while the boy is looking over her shoulder and throws in a sentence from time to time. It looks like fun was not entirely the purpose of their presence here. When the note is completed, the boy takes the notebook to read it thru. Well, it seems everything they needed is there, so they start to collect their things, far slower than necessary. It's clear they have to leave, but they're reluctant to part.

Suddenly the boy's phone starts to ring, so he excuses himself and picks it up. Well, looks like now he's in a hurry, probably took too much time to chatter. He's still standing beside the girl, awkward, not knowing what would be the most appropriate way of saying goodbye. There's a sheepish grin on the girl's face as she also has no idea what to do now. Finally they head out in opposite directions. They do not turn to look at each other, but believe me, each one is smiling so wide, that if it wasn't for their ears, the tops of their heads would probably fall off.

* * *

Well, this cute scene was a consequence of a homework assignment. Though simple in itself, the assignment led to very peculiar results. But let us go back a little, to know how exactly the boy and the girl got to that bench, to chatter and smile, and to reluctance to part.

* * *

You've probably figured out by now, that the girl and the boy were in fact Marinette Dupain-Cheng and Adrien Agreste, two students of Collège Françoise Dupont. Earlier that day they were teamed together by their teacher, Miss Bustier, for some collective work. Their whole class was divided into pairs, a boy and a girl in each team if possible. Despite the general awkwardness hanging in the air the teacher said it would be fun or at least educational. She was the only one to find it amusing, though.

Each pair was assigned a different topic to work on. Apparently there were no limits of awkwardness for Miss Bustier, as all those topics where somehow related to Valentine's day, that was just a few days away. This raised the levels of embarrassment beyond the rooftop. Thus that day the school was full of reddened, troubled teenagers.

Marinette and Adrien were no exception. From the moment they were paired together Marinette couldn't utter a single word without stuttering. This got Adrien to wonder, if he would have to do all the talking by himself, as his classmate was clearly blocked. It didn't help, that what they were assigned to discuss and recap was on lines of 'Perception of Valentine's gifts – possible points of view'.

For Marinette this was a personal disaster. She literally couldn't speak without stutter, and couldn't believe herself. After all she had plenty of conversations with Adrien in the past, when she managed to get over the initial embarrassment and behave naturally. But this time the embarrassment didn't seem to pass. Whatever the reason she was desperately trying to get a grip on herself, and failing spectacularly.

At the same time Adrien tried to manage the situation. He liked Marinette and was aware that sometimes she acted strangely when he was around, but never to this extend. Now he just wanted her to feel comfortable enough so they could get to their task.

As it was pleasantly warm, he suggested they'd go to the park. Marinette was grateful for this idea. On the way she picked some croissants, freshly baked, as her parents' bakery was just round the corner. By the time they sat on the bench, she regained some control over her speech, and they were able to get to work.

They both felt awkward about the topic, at first their discussion was on general lines of how stereotypically everyone thinks that Valentine's Day is a perfect opportunity to confess one's love or to show affection, and how the gifts are there to deliver the message. It took some time, but somehow the mid February sun managed to melt the ice and their discussion became more personal.

Suddenly Adrien realized, they were talking real opinions, not some small talk crap. To his surprise he decided to share with Marinette his real views on Valentine's day. Things he had hitherto never confessed to anyone. He told her all about the plenitude of cards and gifts that he received every February the 14th. How strange it felt to be the subject of so much attention from girls he barely knew or in fact didn't know at all. How uncomfortable it was that just because he modeled for his father's brand people claimed they loved him. Of course it was all very nice but sadly unwanted affection.

 _And what surprised him even more, was that while he was talking he actually listened to himself. He remembered a person who probably felt exactly the same as he was. Unfortunately it was the person that was the subject of his affection. Now he started to recall how as Chat Noir he acted towards Ladybug on numerous occasions and felt ashamed at the thought that his flirtatious behavior might have felt like something more than nuisance._

Marinette felt strangely at ease because of his confession. She thought she would feel bad, as the year before she was among those girls who sent Adrien a Valentine's card (albeit she forgot to sign it), but to her astonishment she didn't feel bad at all. Maybe it was because she did know him in real life, not just from fashion magazines and she knew that her untold affection towards him had a deeper source.

Now encouraged by Adrien's confession Marinette decided to share something too, hoping it would get some weight of her troubled heart. She was careful as not to reveal, that she was actually talking about herself. She told him about a girl from their school, and how she wanted to let her crush to know how she felt, and how she couldn't find the courage to do so, and how she failed time after time. Her hearth rose because Adrien listened and nodded his head in apprehension.

 _But her story got her to think of someone who could feel exactly like her. Unfortunately it was the person whose affection she constantly rejected. Now she started to recall how as Ladybug she acted towards Chat Noir and felt ashamed at the thought that she might have unwittingly crushed his heart._

As you might imagine, sharing things like that is quite an icebreaker. Marinette and Adrien, both in a thoughtful mood, started to chatter more freely about other things. They took some notes to sum up their discussion, or at least those bits they decided the teacher would be expecting. They didn't even notice how fast the time had passed.

In the end it turned out Miss Bustier was right. Marinette and Adrien spent a wonderful afternoon together. The assignment indeed was fun, as they opened up and felt more comfortable in each other's company. It was also very educational, as each one received a new point of view on expressing affection, not only on Valentine's day. What was even more interesting, was that in both cases the recipient and the broadcaster were the same person. In fact what they needed to hear was their own thoughts.

And you will probably be glad to know, that while they were both heading home, they couldn't stop thinking about the people they might have unconsciously hurt because of their ignorance. They both decided it was time to make up for those mistakes.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

As you might recall as a result of otherwise quite enjoyable afternoon in the park both Marinette and Adrien suddenly saw their own actions towards certain people from a new perspective. And they didn't like what they saw. That is why they decided it was time to make amends for their unsuitable, though admittedly unwitting behavior.

As soon as Marinette was back in her room, she pulled her sketchbook and pencil, sat back by her desk and set her mind in search for inspiration. Tikki sat on her shoulder, gaping curiously at the newest design.

After some time she asked 'Have you finally figured out what do you want to give to Adrien this Valentine's day?'

'Yes. And no.' Marinette replied without even raising her head, as she was sketching furiously. Tikki didn't want to bother her, but she was positively dying of curiosity as the design seemed really promising.

'What do you mean by that?' she inquired, as she flew closer to have a better look.

Marinette sighed and stopped drawing. 'You heard us talking in the park today, right? Do you remember what Adrien said? How every year he received so many Valentine's cards and gifts?' Tikki nodded her cute head encouragingly. 'Well, after that I sort of don't see the point of giving him anything on this occasion. No matter what I would do, it wouldn't be special. It would be hard to stick out of that crowd. I am a friend to him, and friends do not hand each other gifts because of Valentine's Day. There'll be other occasions.'

'I see. But in that case may I ask what is it that you're drawing? It looks like a perfect gift for a Valentine's Day.' Tikki was more and more intrigued at this turn of events.

Marinette gave her a thoughtful stare. 'It's hard to admit it, but that talk at the park got me to thinking of Chat Noir. You know, how he always compliments Ladybug, mocks her about her being his Lady, acts like a true gentleman and that. Up until now I kind of assumed that he's just a giant flirt. But what if… ' Marinette bit her lip and thought carefully how to word this next sentence. 'What if all this is in fact his way of showing affection? I've got a feeling that there is more to his attention towards Ladybug that just simple flirt.'

'But you always say he annoys you with those romantic gestures…' Tikki tried to follow.

'Yes, I am aware of that. And now I am a bit ashamed to be honest. Take it from me, you need lots of courage to tell someone you care for them. I never had that courage, but it seems Chat might. I'm afraid I might have hurt his feelings and I don't like it at all'. Marinette finally blurted out the thought that'd been nagging at her since she said goodbye to Adrien that afternoon. 'So I've decided to make it up to him. Not only I won't be so harsh on him, but also there will be something special for my kitty.' She smiled at that thought.

'Marinette! That's a wonderful idea!' Tikki applauded. 'But what about Adrien? Has something changed?'

'No, I still love him. But I can't stop thinking how Chat must have felt all these months. I can't reciprocate whatever his feeling are, but I'll try to let him know that I like and appreciate him.'

And with that strong resolve she got back to work.

* * *

Surprisingly enough Adrien was also working industriously on something. Plagg hid his head under a pillow but he was still able to hear earsplitting noice of a drill on wood. This was getting unbearable. Ah, silence at last. Plagg retreated from his cover and flew to inspect the results.

'May I ask, what the hell are you doing?' he inquired.

'A gift.' Adrien grunted while trying to unknott a ball of string.

'For whom?'

'Not gonna tell you,'

'Oh, come on! I will find out eventually. You are aware of that, right? So you may as well tell me.' Plagg was intrigued.

Adrien just ignored him. 'Have you seen scissors? I swear I had them a moment ago.' The boy was in a peculiar mood, one that Plagg couldn't understand.

The kwami peered at the thing in Adrien's hands and gasped in surprise. 'Is it gonna be a piece of jewelery? In that case I know perfectly well who might be the future owner of this beauty.' He smirked at Adrien. 'Why, you've decided to celebrate Valentine's Day with Ladybug, despite last year's epic disaster?'

'No. I'm not going to celebrate Valentine's Day at all. And also I do not consider last year's Valentine's Day to be a disaster.' Adrien was beginning to grow weary of the kwami.

'What! How come? I thought you will try and confess your undying love to Ladybug, just like you planned last year, before Dark Cupid got in your way! What's with this sudden change of action?'

'Nothing. It's just that after I talked to Marinette this afternoon, I kind of decided to give Ladybug more space. I wonder if she feels as awkward about Chat Noir's flirting as I feel about this downpour of Valentine's gifts and cards from total strangers. I've decided to drop it off and take a step back, at least temporarily. Maybe with time she'll get to like me more. For now no more unwanted attention.' Adrien said firmly.

'Soooo… this thing is not for Ladybug, then?'

'No, it's not.'

'For whom then? Just tell me!'

'Not. Gonna. Tell. You.' Adrien said with an impish grin.

Well, as you can see, this Valentine's Day might turn out somewhat surprising.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

As Valentine's Day drew closer, Marinette and Adrien worked on their mysterious gifts. This work was so absorbing that none of them paid attention to Valentine's pestilence that seemed to be getting to almost everybody. But there was more.

As soon as Marinette decided she's not going to bother Adrien this Valentine's Day and accept him as a friend, at least temporarily, her stutter magically disappeared. She was finally able to talk to Adrien, had plenty of opportunities and enjoyed every second of it.

Adrien's resolve to give Ladybug some space worked wonders on his complacency. No poems, no sighs, no hazy gazes, no problem. Even that large pile of cards and gifts on his table didn't bother him. When he stopped worrying about how Ladybug felt about him, he was able to relax and finally enjoy the company of his friends, and Marinette in particular, now that she grew more comfortable around him.

Then came February 14th, quite uneventful, well… almost.

* * *

On Vallentine's evening Adrien sat on his couch. In his hand he held a small black box. There was a green paw print on its lid. The boy smiled at the thought of the content.

' _Well, my Lady. It seems this year Paris didn't require saving on Valentine's Day. I won't say I'm sorry.' Chat said as they were parting after the evening patrol._

 _Ladybug gave him a warm smile. 'Yes, Chat, it's a wonderful gift of fate, for which I'm particularly grateful. Because for once we're not in a hurry. I…' she stopped, uncertain of what to say next. Was it his imagination or did she really blush?_

' _I have something for you. I've been meaning to give it to you for some time, but there was no occasion.' Still uncertain she reached out. And there, on the palm of her hand, was this beautiful black box with green imprint similar to Chat's ring. His heart skipped a beat, but he tried not to show it._

' _Err… I… I guess I wanted to tell you I… I'm glad that you are my partner. And though sometimes you annoy me to pieces, I really appreciate your… your…' her voice trailed off. For once she looked lost, like the first time they met._

' _Thank you, Ladybug. I can't express how much this means to me,' he said reaching for the gift. For a moment he held her hands in his and he wanted to drown in her bluebell eyes. Then he took the box, intending to see what's inside._

' _Please, don't open it now or this gets really awkward.' Yes, definitely a coat of pink blush on her cheeks._

' _As you wish, my Lady.' He bowed and with a wide grin ran into the night._

Now, alone in his room he held the box, and thought it would be impossible for him to let it go. He opened it once again. His emerald green eyes sparkled. Inside, on a piece of velvet as blue as her eyes rested a small pin in the shape of a ladybug. He took it out, and held it in his hand.

He was just utterly happy.

* * *

At the same time Marinette sat on her bed, her eyes on a mysterious package that was waiting for her on her desk. Her mother said a messenger brought it for her this evening when she was out. Inside she found a small green box and an envelope. After a few moments of hesitation she reached for the envelope. It contained a letter in handwriting that she would recognize anywhere. Now her pulse was astronomical as she started reading.

 _Dear Marinette,_

 _I wanted to give this to you myself, but it was not possible. Please consider this a 'thank you' for our conversation in the park and the others that came after that. It means a lot, that I can tell you what troubles me._

 _I hope you won't laugh too much, as I've made this myself. Compared to your creations this is probably just lame, but still I wanted to give you something personal, to express how much I value your friendship._

 _Adrien_

Marinette just stared at the piece of paper, unable to move. One more word and she would probably just pass out. Then she drew a deep breath and reached for the box. Inside there was a simple bracelet – four wooden beads on a piece of black string, each bead a different shade of green. It was a bit crude, but absolutely adorable. She instantly put it on. Did she just die and went to heaven?

* * *

Next day Marinette arrived at school just as Adrien was getting out of his limo.

'Hey, Mari!

'Hey, Adrien! Thank you for the lovely bracelet!' Marinette waved her hand in the air to show him that she wore his gift today. He couldn't stop thinking, how adorable she looked when she blushed.

'I'm really glad you liked it.' He said with a smile.

'So, did you have a nice Valentine's Day?' she asked casually.

'Honestly, it was just… incredible!' He paused for a moment, his green eyes sparkling with joy. He was so happy, he wanted to shout. Suddenly he got an idea. Marinette was his friend, so it probably wouldn't do any harm... He reached to his bag looking for something.

'Come here, Mari,' He whispered conspiratorially. 'I'll show you something I got yesterday. But promise you won't tell anyone, cause it's a secret. OK?'

'OK.' Marinette noded and came closer. She was very curious, as she remembered him claiming he didn't enjoy his Valentine's gifts. The boy took his hand out of his bag, holding something in his closed fist and then opened it to show her the content. She tilted her head for a better look and her bluebell eyes changed into two question marks.

Because right there on the palm of his hand there was… a small pin in the shape of a ladybug. It looked _extremely_ familiar…

Well, I guess you could say that sometimes taking a step back suddenly puts you forward by leaps and bounds.

* * *

 _Author's note: Short story, I know, but I still would appreciate your opinions._

 _When I first thought this fic up, there was no reveal, it sort of happened by itself. Also I planned to end it right here. But now I'm not so sure. So there might be more chapters to follow, when I'm finished with 'The Party'. What do you think?_


	4. Chapter 4

_Author's note: well, you people actually made me think and instead of writing an entirely new story that I have cooking, I suddenly couldn't leave this one in peace. Let's see if you like this chapter – don't forget to let me know!_

 _Special thanks to mayuralover who actually inspired the turn of events below and in future chapters._

* * *

 **Chapter 4**

'It's, it's…' Marinette stuttered, her eyes growing wider and wider. Her mind felt like it was caught in a hurricane when one realization after another hit it repeatedly. It _was_ the pin she'd given to Chat Noir. It _was_ now resting on _Adrien's_ hand. It was _Adrien_ standing now before her with a rather puzzled look on his face, as he waited patiently for her reaction. Does he know who _she_ is? Is _he_ who she now thinks _he might be_? _Why_ is he showing this to her in the first place? Oh, that's a good start, let's go that way.

'It's s-s-sweet,' Marinette managed to gather her voice, noting his sigh of relief. She must have scared him with the comeback of the stutter. 'W-w-what is it?' Way to go, Marinette, now he'll think you're turning mute again _and_ stupid as well. She shook her head and decided to put the thought of him being Chat Noir for later. That could wait. Not making a fool out of herself couldn't. 'I-I-I mean I can s-s-see it's a p-pin, but where d-d-did you get that?'

On second thought maybe it wasn't a smart move after all, considering her friend's instant blush and sudden panic in his eyes. She was clearly being too nosy. But he wanted to show her the pin. Why exactly? Then a familiar weight of the bracelet on her wrist reminded her that he thought of her as his _friend_. Hmmmmm, she might as well act like one. If it's friendship he wants, friendship he'll get.

'Did you get that because of Valentine's?' Oh, boy, what was she thinking?! Was there any possible worse opening line?!

'Err… No! No! Not at all!' Adrien turned an interesting shade of red as he spluttered the denial. He was totally at a loss. His first intention was to show Marinette – his dear _friend_ Marinette – the very thing that made him happy, but now it started to dawn on him, that she was bound to ask where did the pin come from. And since he'd already confessed he didn't like those Valentine's gifts, the explanation would be much trickier than he thought.

He could tell her, that it was from another friend, but somehow it didn't seem right. He suddenly got that feeling, that he didn't want Marinette to know, there was another close friend in his life _and_ that it was also _a girl_. He wanted her to think that _she_ was the person close to him and that he was… _available?_ No! Adrien Agreste, calm down this minute! Marinette is just a friend. Just a friend! Admittedly a very nice and pretty friend, someone he could talk to for hours and hours, and never get bored of her company, when he could just look into those beautiful bluebell eyes, and admire that adorable blush on her cheeks and pink kissable lips. Noooo! What the hell was happening to him?!

'It's, it's just a pin. I just… I like pins! Yeah! I like pins! A lot! Yeah!' Yeah, Adrien, _that_ was _pathetic_. What happened to all your suave talk? The boy could swear that he was scolding himself in his mind with Plagg's own voice. Or maybe it really was Plagg's cheeky input from the pocket of his shirt? Now he wished there would be a meteor strike, that could knock him out and spare him the humiliation as Marinette's eyes were clearly in the danger of poping out of her head.

'So… you like pins, huh? I didn't know that,' the girl said quietly, trying to make some sense out of his act. But then she felt a twang of mischief that stirred in her Ladybug lining. 'Why ladybug, though?' she fluttered her eyelashed, aiming for the look of pure innocence.

The blonde gaped at her in shock. He open his mouth to speak but found no voice whatsoever. He closed his mouth, muttered something under his breath, opened it again and...

'Yeah! I Ladybug love. What?! No, I mean Ladybug love I! Nooooo! I mean… I mean… I mean… Ugh! I lo- _like_ ladybugs. Yep. I like ladybugs. They bring luck, yeah!' Any chance of that meteor now? He watched in horror as her eyes were getting bigger and bigger again and felt he just couldn't take it anymore.

'Oh, is that… is that… Max?!' Ah, rescue. 'I gotta, I gotta go and him to talk! No! I mean I gotta talk him to go! No! Ugh! I've… got… to… go… and… talk… to him. Pffff!' Finally Adrien blurted out the whole sentence and with an apologetic look and a quick 'S-s-see you later! Bye!' ran into school.

He was beet red by the time he reached the boys' bathroom, which thankfully was empty. He leaned on the door and released a groan of exasperation. Plag flew out of his pocket.

'Kid, what the hell was that all about?!' he asked, his voice dripping with nastiness.

'I've got absolutely no idea!' Adrien felt he left his brain on the pavement outside school. For the life of him he couldn't understand what just happened and why. Right now however he had to focus on more imminent thread. It was barely 9 o'clock and he had before him a whole day of sitting in front of _Marinette_ , after making a complete fool of himself.

Marinette watched Adrien fleeing into school with secret amusement.

'That went well…' She heard Tikki's voice from her bag, lined with unusual sarcasm. Marinette suspected that she was the reason for that, though she didn't really do anything wrong. However, she couldn't help feeling a prick of satisfaction at the state of Adrien when he left, clearly embarrassed, reddened and stuttering. The very effect that he had on her all these years. Ah, revenge is so sweet.

* * *

 _AN: How did you like it? It kind of happened all by itself, so this was probably just meant to be XD I need some time to figure out what exactly will happen next, although I have a few ideas already._ _But i WILL definitely UPDATE this fic, I haven't given up on it. Just be patient. If you have any suggestions, please share them in your reviews._


	5. Chapter 5

_Author's Note: Once again thank you for your reviews, they keep me going!_

* * *

 **Chapter 5**

For the rest of the day the situation didn't improve in any way. In Marinette's proximity Adrien displayed various shades of pink and red, stuttered and spluttered through all his sentences, and simply couldn't look her in the eyes. He briefly considered avoiding the girl until that strange effect would wear off, because she started to feel comfortable around him not so long ago and he didn't want to do anything to put her off. Thankfully at lunchtime Nino took pity on him, and declared the two of them needed to have some time for themselves.

As soon as Adrien and Nino were out of hearing range, Alya grinned wickedly at Marinette.

'Girl, I think you broke that poor guy. What did you do to him anyway?'

Well, you could always count on Alya. She was never subtle. But what Marinette could tell her, since she was as surprised as everybody at this sudden turn of events? She didn't have time to think it over yet, and didn't know what to make of it. And there was also the issue of Chat Noir's identity left to process later on.

However in turned out that Alya didn't need any contribution on her part, as she was able to carry out the entire conversation on her own.

'Oooooo, I know! I know! Has that got anything to do with your Valentine's gift for him this year?' She wiggled her brows and nudged Marinette with her elbow. 'And you didn't tell me what it was!' Alya pouted mockingly. Then she suddenly jumped and facepalmed. 'You remembered to sign it this year?! That's why he's acting so strange?!' If her smirk could be any wider, her jaw would fall off.

Marinette watched her with astonishment. Her friend was truly a one woman show. But it did nothing to lessen Marinette's irritation at her antics. 'Ummm, actually, I didn't give him anything this year,' she said simply and because just this once she really badly wanted to wipe out that smirk off Alya's face she added 'I just talked to him this morning, and when I fluttered my lashes at him he suddenly set off like that.'

Well, she should have know better. You couldn't shake Alya with something like that. Hell, she would probably still be as intimidating, had Marinette confessed she made out with Adrien in front of the whole school.

'Really?' Alya flashed her a toothy grin. 'How wild of you, Miss. Dupain-Cheng!' she nudged Marinette with her elbow again. 'Aaa-nyyy-waaay, you know that his behavior is really painfully familiar?' She shook her head amused with the sight of blush instantly covering her friend's cheeks. 'You two seem to get along much better these past few days, haven't you? And you sure spend a lot of time together since that assignment…' The redhead let that suggestion hang in the air in hope that Marinette would walk right into her trap. And soon she was rewarded with stutter coming from her friend's mouth.

'I-I-I… don't know.' Marinette settled for the truth. After all, she really didn't have a clue as to what was going on, and now even more than yesterday. 'I guess I need some time just to figure it out.' She ventured, again a true statement although far more innocent than what she actually had in mind.

'What?! What's there to figure out?' now Alya was truly intrigued. 'You're mad about that boy, head over heels and whatnot.' She glanced at her friend's face astonished to see a very strange mixture of feelings displayed in her features. It was all the more impressive because hitherto every mention of Adrien's persona made Marinette's face melt into an embarrassing love-struck dreamy smile. In any other circumstances she would instantly pick up that trail, a true reporter at heart that she was. But something in Marinette's expression told her to back off. There was something serious in her eyes, something dark and unnerving. Oh, how the tables have turned. She decided that just this time it was probably best not to be to nosy.

'Well, clearly you're hiding something, but don't worry, I won't push it any further.' The blogger wouldn't be herself if she didn't make at least one sassy remark, even though she was actually supportive. 'If you need to talk, you know where to find me, right?'

Marinette was carefully watching her feet and not meeting her gaze. 'Thank you,' she murmured and that marked the end of the subject. For now.

* * *

Nino could give Alya a run for her money, as he also didn't go for subtleties.

'So… what's with you and Marinette?' he asked bluntly as he and Adrien sat on the stairs biting into their lunches. The blonde choked on his sandwich instantly, and required a righteous slap down his back and a good few seconds of coughing before he regained his breath.

'What do you mean?' he managed to squeak with the last wave of cough.

'Dude, you think I'm stupid or something?' Nino was usually very patient with his friend, but Adrien's stutter got on his nerves all morning and he was begging to snap. 'For the last few days you don't stop talking about her. Mari said this, Mari did that. And the way you look at her…' Nino let that suggestion hang in the air as it was the best way to get someone to fill the blank spaces for you. It was a very useful trick that he'd picked from Alya.

Adrien felt the heat on his cheeks again. Seriously, for like a millionth time today! And he was still as bewildered as this morning. 'I don't look at her at all, man!' he groaned in defeat.

'As of this morning, no. I grant you that. But what about yesterday, or the day before? You've been eyeing her up so hard I'm surprised she didn't burst into flames!'

'Wha..?' was all that Adrien's brain was able to conjure up. It was true, he was casting glances at Marinette way more often now, but he thought they were discreet enough. He wondered if she also had noticed, and couldn't decide if he preferred she did or not. His thoughts were running a thousand miles per hour and it was impossible to comprehend what was actually going on, let alone explain it to Nino. Adrien only knew he needed time to process the whole pin fiasco, but apparently Nino wouldn't let him to do that now.

'Dude, you're gonna tell me something or what?' Nino snaped his fingers in front of Adrien's face, dragging him back to reality.

'I… honestly don't know.' The blonde let out a sigh. But suddenly panic gripped him, as he remembered that Nino used to have a crush on Marinette. Maybe that was the reason he was so acid today?

'Do… do you… still like her?' he ventured, not sure if it was a good idea.

Nino chuckled and slammed his hand hard on Adrien's back. 'Of course I do!' And as the model paled and inhaled loudly, he gave him a knowing look and smirked. 'Like a _classmate_ , dude. A friend maybe. But don't worry, I'm over that crush. My heart belongs to Alya, and you know it. We're cool.' Adrien slumped in relief, which only confirmed Nino's suspicions.

Knowing when not to push too hard, Nino decided to change the subject. He needed a safe distraction so he recalled a picture of a heap of cards and gifts that Adrien sent him last year.

'Got anything interesting on Valentine's Day this year? Another hoard of love?' he jested and was rewarded with another serving of coughing and choking. Nino slapped Adrien's back once more. He was actually beginning to enjoy himself.

'You can come and inspect it yourself, if you're interested,' the blonde wheezed trying to get his breath back again.

'What? And be suffocated by all that fluff mail from your crazy fangirls?' he laughed.

Adrien finally gathered his wits. He took out the bottle of apple juice from his bag and raised it as if proposing a toast before taking a sip. 'Some of it was from fanboys this year, just so you know.' He was glad to see his friend's face turning red for a change. He snorted in satisfaction and took another sip.

'I see,' Despite the blush Nino stepped right into their cheeky banter. 'Well, that's always an option to consider.' Then he glanced impishly at Adrien before adding, 'That is if things won't work out between you and Mari…'

But he couldn't finish the sentence, due to collapsing in an outburst of laughter. Because that was when all the apple juice came out Adrien's nose.

* * *

 _AN: Have I mentioned that I like pestering Adrien? Or maybe it was in 'The Party'? XD_

 _And so the story continues. How do you like it now? Please let me know._


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

As you probably remember, a series of fruitful events led to a very surprising outcome concerning Marinette's and Adrien's newly established friendship. The basic aftermath of that series included temporal indisposition of Adrien's articulation in Marinette's proximity, as well as Marinette's confusion on Chat Noir's identity. Since school wasn't exactly the most friendly environment to muse on these topics, the two teenagers decided to postpone the inevitable and necessary reflections until their safe return home.

Now that they were both in their rooms, the thinking begun…

* * *

'Hmmmm….'

Adrien was lost in his thoughts, pacing through his room back and forth from consoles to his bed. A string of inarticulate sounds constantly flowing from his direction. For some time now Plagg tried in vain to catch his Chosen's attention.

'Hey?'

'Hummmm…'

'Kid.'

'Tsk-tsk-tsk…'

'Kid!'

'Umhumhum…'

'Adrien, you there?'

'Hmmm, hmmmm, hmmmm…'

'ADRIEN!'

'Tsk-tsk-tsk…'

'Oh, for crying out loud!'

'Hemm, hemmm…'

'I'm getting too old for this.'

'Hmmm…'

'LOOK, AKUMA!'

'What?! Where?!' Finally Adrien stopped in front of the little black god.

'If you keep pacing like that, you're gonna drop into kitchen eventually!' The kwami complained. He was swaying slightly, a shade of dark green on his muzzle and bead of sweat on his forehead.

'Plagg, what the hell you're talking about?'

'Stop walking! I'm serious. It makes me nauseated just looking at you'. The kwami hiccupped.

'Then don't look at me.' The boy rebuked and resumed his trip.

'Well, I can't. It's a cat thing, you know. If something is moving I have to follow it.'

'Then I'm sorry, but I can't stop. Walking helps me think. I need to think.'

'Oh, yeah? What about?' Plagg wondered why did he even bother to ask, as the answer was pretty obvious.

'Marinette, if you must know.' Adrien felt he blushed slightly just because he said _her_ name. How was that even possible?

'Great. And there I thought I couldn't feel more sick'. The little black cat released a sigh.

'Ha, ha. Very funny. You could give me some support, you know.'

'Ehh. _Fine_.' Plagg gave up. Not like he had anything better to do. Plus there was always a chance, that he could tease his Chosen some more. That could provide some pastime.

'So, you think about that Dupain-Cheng girl, heh?' Plagg was aware, that he needed to push Adrien just a little for the fun to begin. 'You know, kid, I've been meaning to tell you, it seems to me you spend too much time with her.'

'What?! What do you mean? She's just a friend, is all.' Adrien's cheeks told Plagg otherwise, an impressive display of pink warming them. The little cat just sent him an unimpressed look.

'I mean that you suddenly started blushing and stuttering, and up to a few days ago that was her usual act in your presence. I think it might be contagious.' He said with a smirk, but Adrien was carefully watching his feet and failed to notice he was in fact being shamelessly teased.

'Well… that's the point, Plagg. That's what I'm thinking about. I've never stuttered before and I'm trying to figure out, why suddenly this is happening.' The boy radiated such honesty and obliviousness that Plagg felt a slight prick of guilt. This was too easy!

'Okay. Let's establish what do we know so far.' The kwami tried to look like a little fairy of helpfulness, grinning sinfully on the inside. 'When did the symptoms first occur?'

'Um… You're making me feel uncomfortable, but… on the other hand it might just work,' the boy was purely naïve but determined nonetheless. He tapped his chin with his finger, although he hardly needed a reminder of the morning events. They were continuously displaying themselves in his mind without even asking for his approval. 'It all started with the ladybug pin this morning. I was stupid, I know. I shouldn't show it to anyone, but… I felt so happy since yesterday…'

'So you've decided to blow it all away, by showing a civilian something you got as a superhero from another superhero?' Plagg prompted helpfully in his sweetest voice, which caught Adrien off guard, as he admitted, 'Once again, you've got it. But how was I supposed to know, she would ask me how did I get that?!'

'Geee… By using your brains maybe?!' Plagg finally snapped. 'You know, the thing that's sloshing inside your skull? Make a use of it just once in a while. It could definitely do with some exercise.' This sudden outburst of sarcasm silenced Adrien momentarily. But it was just the beginning of Plagg's rant. 'I mean it was Valentine's Day yesterday and all of a sudden you have this nice thing and you show it to her?! What was she supposed to think?!'

'I know! That's why I panicked, okay?!'

'Really? _That's_ why?' Both of Plagg's brows were raised so high, that they were practically on the top of his head.

'Well, not entirely… I might or might not have thought that I didn't want her to know I had another friend that's also… a girl.' Adrien was fully aware that he was now rambling, but he couldn't form a single coherent thought about the morning events.

'And that's _because_ …' Plagg waved his little paw encouragingly.

'... Oh. Oooooh.' Adrien's eyes grew wider. 'Because I… like her?' He instantly felt the blush blossoming on his face and neck.

'Bingo, kid. Phew, this was exhausting. Can I have some cheese now?' With that the kwami zipped his way to the desk drawer, where Adrien kept his stock of camembert.

But Adrien had already tuned him out, drawn to his own thoughts. Up to a few days ago Marinette was just his classmate. They barely had any interactions, and when they did Marinette was all shy and stuttery. Which always got Adrien utterly flustered, as he knew that she acted quite differently when he wasn't around. That other Marinette was fantastic – confident, firm, witty, creative, determined, dedicated. The list of her virtues was endless, as far as he was concerned. He caught a glimpse of that occasionally, a few times even as Chat, and he would gladly get some more, but every time he approached her without his mask she turned into that mumbling mess. He blamed that on his lack of social skills, assuming that he did something wrong but she was just too good a person to call him out on that. Then that assignment turned out to be quite an icebreaker and finally the stutter was gone and he gained access to the wonderful girl that Marinette was.

He was really looking forward to getting to know her. Like really know her, not just scratch the surface satisfied with only some shallow facts and assumptions. He made that bracelet for her to show how he valued her openness, her friendship. At last they were making progress and then bang! comes the pin fiasco. Ugh, did it have to happen just when things started to get interesting?

Nino and Plagg both claimed that he supposedly had a crush on Marinette. Maybe he did? He had never crushed on anyone before, Ladybug being the one and only girl in his heart for more than a year and a half now. Was today's sudden outburst of awkwardness an evidence that he wanted Mari to be more than just a friend? But this was stupid. Marinette acted like that around him almost all the time, and no one accused her of having a crush on him… Oh. Oooooh?

The realization hit him so hard that he felt ladybugs stirring in his stomach. What was that Plagg said?

' _Up to a few days ago that was her usual act in your presence… I think it might be contagious…'_

Was it possible that Marinette liked him? Was that the reason she acted so strange only when he was around? Oh, this was too good to be true. But… she didn't stutter any more. After the assignment she started to be her normal, wonderful self. Did that mean that like Nino she was over her crush? Or that she just finally felt comfortable around him? Ugh, too many questions and no answers!

'Marinette likes me?' It came up more as a question than a bottom line of his musings.

'Yeah, that's an understandment of the year.' Plagg snickered, his voice muffled by the cheese box. And Adrien's heart did a little somersault.

'What do I do then?' he asked carefully.

'Well, that depends. What do you want to do?' The kwami emerged from the drawer, showering his surroundings with crumbles of cheese.

'I want to get to know her better,' the boy declared. ' _And I want her to like me more,'_ his heart prompted.

Plagg cocked a skeptical brow. 'What about Ladybug?'

Adrien's stomack fell, but he hoped it didn't show. 'Ladybug has nothing to do with this.'

A lie. Up until now Ladybug was everything. But she wasn't interested, she made that crystal clear. She appreciated him as a partner and that was as far as it went. While this hurt him constantly, he felt the urge to follow an odd throbbing his heart gave every time he thought of Marinette. Was it just a replacement for Ladybug? Someone would think it might be, but strangely it didn't feel that way.

'This is about Marinette.' He was curious. He was excited. He made up his mind, determined to scratch the surface and see what was hidden underneath. And boy, was he thrilled.

* * *

At the same time Marinette was sure she was having a mental breakdown, now that she finally had the time. She played merry-go-round on her desk chair until she nearly got another look at her lunch. She banged her head on her cushions and groaned a little. She organized her needles using the occasion to prick herself countless of times in hope that all this would turn out to be just a dream. She even dug out her old pre-Ladybug toy yoyo and tossed it for good fifteen minutes. Finally she cleaned up her room until it was spotless. But nothing, absolutely nothing could make her stop thinking about the pin in Adrien's hand.

So... Adrien was Chat. Blunt as it was. No "but", no "how". As soon as she wrapped her head in the idea it was so obvious. Of course there were some differences, like the length of their hair, the shape of their eyes, the width of their smiles. But Marinette knew Chat really well, and now that she came to think about it, he moved a lot like Adrien, he had the same height, posture and build. The longer she took to ponder about that, the longer the list of the similarities was, inside and out.

Of course she had wondered from time to time who Chat might be under the mask. But she didn't expect the answer to be right in front of her. Quite literally as she apparently had been staring at the back of the answer's head every school day for the last year and a half. And now the answer was staring back at her from each and every poster on her wall. Oh god, she plastered her walls with Chat's pictures. If he knew about this she would never hear the end of it. Absentmindedly she started to take them off.

For most of their partnership she kind of assumed that Chat was this obnoxious bad boy, cracking his puns, showing off and flirting the life out of every girl. Just recently she realized that maybe this was just a façade, but to think that the interior would consist of her sweet Adrien was… shocking to say the least. And yet, somehow things just didn't add up, but Marinette couldn't quite pinpoint what was wrong.

'Marinette, are you all right?' She heard Tikki's small voice from her desk, where the kwami buried herself up to her neck in an old woolly hat that served as her bed.

'I wouldn't say that I am,' the girl groaned in defeat.

'You're thinking about Chat, are you?' Tikki emerged instantly from her hat and flew to her Chosen. 'What's the matter?'

'Everything!' Marinette cried and threw herself to her chaise longue, face down. 'From the top of my head,' she murmured against the cushions, 'Adrien is Chat. I love Adrien, but does that mean I love Chat as well? Well, I think I would know if I loved Chat, but would I?' She knew perfectly well that she was rambling, but she didn't care. 'Chat is Adrien. How can I look at him and act as if nothing happened? What if there's an akuma attack and I'll start stuttering and tripping in front of him? Adrien thinks of me as his friend. What will he think when he knows I'm Ladybug? What if this ruins what we've achieved in the last few days. And that in fact took _ages_ to achieve! Oh, I'm sure Adrien will hate me, give up his miraculous and leave the country, and Hawk Moth will hunt me down and tear me to pieces. My life is so over!'

Tikki gently stroked her hair while chuckling to herself. 'And all that because of a little pin? It can't be that bad.'

The girl huffed and puffed as another thought crossed her mind. 'I also wonder, why is there this mild cheese aroma around his person?'

'Oh, I know that one!' Tikki exclaimed cheerfully. 'It's because of his kwami's particular choice of food.'

Marinette raised her head, 'He's got a kwami?! Oh, right. He's Chat, he's got a kwami all right. See Tikki, I'm hopeless.' Once more she dived to her cushions. This time Tikki laughed out loud, but the girl gave only an inarticulate whimper in response, so her kwami continued. 'I know you, Marinette. Tell me, what's really bothering you.'

'I don't know… him.' The conclusion surprised even her. 'What I mean is… I know Adrien and I know Chat, as in separately. Now that I know they're the same person I have to ask myself if I know that person at all?'

'How come?' Tikki was clearly at a loss with the direction of Marinette reasoning.

'Chat and Adrien maybe look and walk similar, but they _act_ differently. I know that people act differently depending on situation, but it's not like that. I feel I'm missing something, _someone_ in fact. And that someone is the person that sometimes is Chat and sometimes is Adrien. I don't know that person. That's what I meant.' Marinette was soon drown in her own thoughts. She thought she loved Adrien. But romantic inclinations aside, did she really knew him? How could she even claim she loved him, if she didn't knew him? If she'd missed a whole personality of the person she supposedly had feelings for? She needed to understand, why he acted like that, why there were those two sides of him, none of which seemed more real. There had to be something deeper, under those two faces. And she wanted _so badly_ to know what it was.

Tikki's voice made her come back to reality. 'What are you going to do, Marinette? Will you tell him that you know?'

'I… don't know.' Marinette hesitated. 'I think I would like to know that person before I reveal myself.'

'But Marinette… it's Chat. He deserves to know. He deserves for you to be honest with him.' There was disappointment in the kwami's voice.

'I know all that, Tikki. But there's a lot of things for me to sort out, starting with my feelings for Adrien and Chat. I don't want to risk our friendship or our partnership. I promise you I won't do anything stupid. I just… want to know who he really is… is all.' Marinette tried to persuade her companion, she wanted her to acknowledge her reasons. The girl looked at the green bracelet again, running her fingers gently over the beads. 'He wants to be my friend.' She whispered, mostly to herself. 'It's only fair if I return the courtesy.'

Tikki's eyes narrowed, as she poked Marinette with an accusatory finger. 'Friends don't lie to each other.'

But Marinette already found her excuse. 'Ah, well. I know for sure, that there's at least one thing he's not telling me. So I might as well keep a secret or two.' She winked at the kwami hoping to lighten the mood. 'Please, Tikki. I know it's the right thing to tell him. But not just yet. I need some time. And when I get to know him better, I will tell him. I promise. It'll be all right.'

Tikki didn't look convinced. 'You know what I think. The decision is yours to make.' She shrugged and flew back to her hat.

Marinette felt a sting of guilt, but she stood by her decision. Maybe friendship wasn't such a bad start, after all?

* * *

 _AN: Phew, that was a long and tough one. Turns out I've got plenty of ideas for future chapters, while this one was neglected for ages. Those last two were set-up chapters, we're going for some action now, as the story develops. Now this being said, I don't know when I will be able to update this next time, as I've got a horrendous amount of work coming my way (not to mention three other fics). But rest assured I intend to continue this story, and I even already have a draft of the next chapter :)_

 _Tell me, what you think, I really appreciate your opinions! And the feedback is my main motivation to chose on which story I should work next ;)_


	7. Chapter 7

_Author's note: Long time no see, huh? Sorry, my work's been driving me nuts for the last couple of weeks and writing was kind of impossible. But I'm back and here's the next chapter. It got ridiculously long (at least as my chapters go), so I've decided to cut it in half. I'll be posting the other half later (but definitely sooner than in three weeks xP), as it still needs some work._

 _I hope you'll like it!_

* * *

There is a balcony above a familiar looking bakery in the 21st arrondissement of Paris, lit by a few lampions on this crispy late February evening. Currently it is also full of laughter, the source of which is a rather peculiar teenage couple seated on two deck chairs. A girl and a boy, wrapped in blankets. One of them is wearing a pajamas underneath a pink woolly jumper, and the other is sporting a tight black suit with a tail while an additional pair of ears adorns his pale blonde hair. It looks like the girl doesn't mind this strange attire. You can tell they are enjoying each other's company, gobbling apple pie and choking with laughter. The chatter also involves quite a lot of blushing and surreptitious glances, some joyful banter and eye rolling, and for some reason quite a lot of puns. On both parts.

They've been chatting for some time, but now the girl starts to tremble and clatter her teeth, which is why the boy wraps his blanket around her and ushers her to the skylight behind the deck chairs. He bows with catlike grace and plants a light kiss on her knuckles, earning himself a giggle from the girl. She responds with a little curtsy holding the rim of her imaginary dress between her thumbs and middle fingers, which elicits something between a chuckle and a purr from the boy. He casts one last glance at her face lit by the warm glow of the lampions and runs into the night grinning madly. The girl doesn't leave until he is out of sight, absentmindedly brushing her knuckles still burning from the touch of his lips.

* * *

Well, this cute scene was a consequence of a very intense day at the end of a very intense week. And of the resolutions the girl and the boy had made just the day before. But let us go back a little, to know how exactly a black clad hero and a bakers' daughter got to that balcony, to chatter and apple pie, and to the playful goodbye.

You've probably figured out by now, that the girl and the boy were in fact Marinette Dupain-Cheng and Chat Noir, two teenagers with quite an impressive amount of personalities, and even more impressive amount of secrets concerning their love life.

The day before quite independently and for very different reasons they both had decided it was time to befriend the other one in order to get to know them better. They were both so proud of making such a big decision and so determined to make it work, that they completely failed to think of a small detail like how exactly to accomplish that mission. Adrien's stutter withdrew to some extend but he still didn't regain full fluency of speech in Marinette's presence. On her part the girl tried her best not to retreat into a mumbling mess, when waves of confusion washed over her exhausted brain as she started to pick Chat in Adrien's features and gestures. The two of them were spending the morning lessons throwing bashful glances at each other and balancing at the verge of freaking out, to Alya's and Nino's constant amusement, as their besties where exchanging knowing looks and trying really hard not to snort too loud.

The morning rolled into midday at a leisurely pace, while neither Marinette nor Adrien came up with any ideas how to start the whole befriending process. But as it turned out, they didn't need to worry as the perfect occasion soon occurred all by itself, courtesy of Hawk Moth.

At lunch break Marinette found herself a little short on food, since she totally forgot to pack anything in the midst of her befriending trance. Usually in such circumstances Alya offered to share her lunch but the redhead was nowhere to be found. Marinette's stomach gave a loud grumble urging her to fill it soon. The girl sent Alya a quick message that she decided to head home in order to actually have a bite of something edible instead of her pencils. She didn't get very far from the school's entrance when she noticed a commotion in front of the bakery. People screaming, people running, people coughing, people trying to shake off the flour dust covering them, things getting enthusiastically and loudly broken inside the building, wisps of dense white floury clouds coming from the windows of the bakery, Alya wading through the fleeing crowds phone at the ready. All the usual telltales of an Akuma attack in progress, quite possibly one targeting flour products for so far obscure reasons.

Marinette ran to the bakery, her parents' safety being the only thing on her mind. She was so focused on saving them, that the thought of transforming never even crossed her mind. She couldn't do it with all these people in the street, and she wouldn't waste so much as a second not knowing if Sabine and Tom were all right. The girl was about to rush inside when a black clad hand wrapped around her waist. In one smooth movement she was swept round the corner and pinned to the window, as the door to the bakery shoot out of the hinges and smashed to splinters on the pavement in front. When the clatter of the wrecked door died out she risked a glance up and her gaze met a pair of familiar green eyes.

'Don't. It's too dangerous,' The owner of the eyes said in a stern voice, still pinning her to the window and shielding her from possible threats. _'Chat'_ she thought dazed by his proximity. _'Adrien,'_ her memory prompted when she inhaled the familiar mixture of soap, cologne and cheese.

'B-b-but I... my parents…' she stuttered, partly out of genuine concern, partly because of how he was still wrapped around her.

'I'll take care of that.' He murmured finally pulling himself from the window. His eyes lit up when he looked at her and a soft smirk found its way to his lips. Not the usual cocky grin he wore, but a genuine, almost tender smile that made her guts melt and her knees wobble. 'You stay out, Princess,' he tapped her nose lightly with his clawed finger. 'And contact Ladybug if you know how.' With that he gave her a two-finger salute, tiptoed to the back door and silently slipped inside.

Marinette let out a breath she didn't know she was holding and ran to the park on the other side of the street. She was about to transform when she saw that Chat pushed her mother out the back door, and then turned to argue with her father who apparently insisted on helping him and refused to leave the bakery to the Akuma. Chat seemed at a loss for a moment, but Sabine stepped in. It took just one look from her, one raised brow and Tom walked out of the building with a sulky face. Now that her parents were out of the way and Chat was on the Akuma's tail she decided to diplomatically vanish before her dad could grab her in order to keep her safe. This definitely required Ladybug's presence.

By the time the red clad heroine ran through the now doorless front entrance the Akuma had finished up destroying every bit of merchandise containing gluten, and even the things that were gluten-free, like lemon meringues guilty only of being neighbors with wheat pastries. By the sound of it the villain moved to the working space at the back of the bakery and didn't even notice Ladybug's arrival, focused solely on the task of wiping out every trace of wheat from the face of Earth. The reason for starting that task at her parents' place was beyond her, yet a creepy feeling of being somehow exposed wouldn't leave Marinette for days after the attack.

Chat Noir was nowhere in sight, but when Ladybug followed the exasperated groans, she found him plastered to the other side of the counter, covered in something sticky, stiff and dough-like. He was drooling a bit staring hopelessly at a tray of half smashed muffins quite out of his reach.

Ladybug put a finger to her lips when her partner turned to her. ' _Keep groaning_ ' she mouthed soundlessly, while she took a broom from the corner and tried to use it like a crowbar to silently break him out of the sticky prison. In a moment he was free and the very first thing he did was to dive for the box of macaroons wedged under the counter. Ladybug rolled her eyes.

'I was about to ask how did you even get trapped, but now I'm pretty sure I know,' she whispered half amused and half annoyed.

'Shhh, you. I'm mourning here,' Chat rebuked simply reaching into the box and searching for anything still not crushed under the pile of crumbles that once were biscuits. 'Cereal Killer there is the first villain that I can actually sympathize with,' he murmured matter-of-factly nodding his head in the direction of the backdoor.

'What?!' Ladybug whisper screamed at him throwing her hands up in disbelief.

Chat just shrugged totally unperturbed as he fished something out of the box. 'At home I'm not allowed to even touch wheat products like they were poisonous or something. That's why I like to fill myself to the brim whenever I can,' Chat said closing his mouth over a miraculously intact macaroon. 'Mmmm, heaven,' he said, while his eyes rolled to the back of his head, which probably was supposed to indicate wheat ecstasy.

His partner smacked him over the shoulder. 'All right, that's enough sweets for you, Cookie Monster. We've got an Akuma to cure.'

* * *

Despite Marinette's doubts from the day before, she found out that knowing Chat's identity didn't change a thing about how she acted as Ladybug. The fight was quick and painless. The sack of flour summoned by Lucky Charm dropped right out of the ceiling and pinned Cereal Killer to the floor effectively knocking her out, while Ladybug gained easy access to the infested cookbook tucked under the Akuma's belt. The victim turned out to be a young celiac who had just found out that life without gluten was a torture when you were addicted to croissants and your hobby was baking. With everything fixed clean the heroine decided to leg it as soon as she heard the first beep of her miraculous. She didn't want to risk close encounter with her parents while suited up, so she left Chat to deal with the fallout. He was more than capable after all.

But nothing could lessen Marinette's surprise, when she transformed back and returned to the bakery to discover what looked like a stack of confectionery boxes with a pair of familiar looking cat ears atop, all that supported by two clad in black and nicely chiseled legs. By the look of it the boxes contained enough wheat products to put a rhinoceros into a gluten coma. Apparently Chat took all that filling to the brim thing very seriously. It was a piece of information Marinette decided to save for further use.

'Oh my god, Chat! Did you decide to pillage my parents' bakery or something?' The stack trembled just slightly at the sound of her voice, which unfortunately sent the boxes sliding to the floor.

'Oh, no!' Moaned Chat. 'Not again!' He threw himself to the ground and started picking up the half-dented boxes inspecting their contents.

'Your parents were very keen on expressing their gratitude,' he explained sheepishly rubbing the back of his head. That got Marinette frozen, while he continued, 'These were supposed to be for me and Ladybug. But between you and me Princess, that's not gonna happen.' He gave her a wink and a banana smile.

Marinette blinked trying really hard not to get overwhelmed by Chat displaying so obviously Adrien's trademarks. How could she not see that earlier? She cleared her throat.

'You really have that much of a sweet tooth?' she asked weakly, kneeling down to help him collect his loot.

'What can I say,' the boy shrugged. 'I have quite an appetite for sweet things.' He seemed thoughtful for a moment while his gaze travelled to her lips for a split second. His cheeks reddened under the mask.

'Oh, these are just for you, hun.' Sabine came from the back with yet another box, this time containing an éclair. 'Just tell Ladybug to drop by whenever she's in the neighborhood and she can have her share of pastries.' She smiled and fondly patted Chat's cheek which sent a shoot of warmth right to his heart. 'Don't be a stranger, dear. There's always something here for our favorite feline hero.'

'Yes, son,' Marinette's father joined them in the bakery. 'Come whenever you want. Thank you for your help and sorry about… you know.' Tom reached for Chat's hand and gave it a righteous shake.

'Thank you. The pleasure was all mine.' Chat Noir said with his right hand pressed to his chest. 'I can assure you, your bakery is a place close to my heart.' He risked a quick glance at Marinette, which she failed to see due to being occupied with half of Chat's boxes. Tom and Sabine didn't miss it, but they didn't let it show.

Chat bowed, took the rest of the boxes from Marinette and left in a very careful walk.

* * *

Although everything was back to normal, Marinette could tell her parents were somewhat shaken by the experience. They tried to act casually, but Sabine's hands were trembling so much she smashed her favorite tea mug, while Tom burned a whole batch of chocolate chip cookies, which had never happened in Marinette's lifetime. The girl decided to skip the afternoon lessons and stay with them. They closed the bakery for the day and went upstairs to unwind. Marinette's company alone was already soothing, but when Alya came from school with Marinette's homework things where on the right track to normalcy. Alya was tactful enough not to bring the subject of the latest Akuma up, although she was itching all over to interview the Dupain-Chengs for the Ladyblog. But as she later pointed out to Marinette, there's important and _important_. The blackette couldn't be more grateful for a loyal and thoughtful friend like that. Alya's company finally put Marinette's parents at ease and when the girl left, they both were already back to their cheerful and warm selves. Still the events of the day took their toll, so Tom and Sabine decided to go to bed earlier than usual, leaving Marinette to herself.

As the evening rolled, she decided it was time for her to relax as well. She could feel the stress in her strained muscles. She definitely deserved her rest. And a whole plate of fresh apple pie, which she decided to eat on her balcony. After all, her parents had said that Ladybug could also grab a bite, hadn't they? Marinette bundled up and left Tikki to sleep in her wooly hat under the desk. Then she took her treats and a flask of hot cocoa, and made herself comfortable among the blankets on the deckchair on her balcony. The sky was clear and even some stars were visible despite the lampions and city lights. The girl wrapped herself in silence and let the distant sounds of the evening wash over her, soothing her own fears. She gazed at the stars while her thoughts wandered to the moment when Chat saved her from the blowing door. He held her before as Ladybug a countless number of times, and once even in her civilian form, yet knowing who he was under the mask really made today's experience different. She blushed at the thought of his arms wrapping protectively around her. She reddened even more when she realized this wasn't a typical thought of a friend towards another friend. Slowly she reached up to take a piece of the apple pie from the makeshift table and caught a black gloved hand instead.

* * *

 _Author's Note: Like I've mentioned at the beginning, this chapter was getting really long, so it got split into two._

 _Don't forget to tell me what you think! Your comments make me happy :)_

 _PS. About gluten – please consider that this akuma was based on personal experience, I'm not mocking anybody. You could say it was a way of easing my own frustration. And believe me, reading all those fanfics with a fantastic bakery in it, tons of cookies, pastries and croissants doesn't exactly help keeping clean of wheat like I'm supposed to (mind you, doctor's orders). Moreover I'm not allowed to eat any cheese and camembert in particular (while this is a passion I happen to share with Plagg), so this fandom is sometimes a hell of a culinary torture for me :(_


	8. Chapter 8

_Author's Note: Here's the second part of the 7_ _th_ _chapter. If the events depicted here are not clear, I advice you re-read at least the beginning of the previous chapter – which in fact is chronologically the ending of this one ;)_

 _It is a total coincidence, but as it happens this chapter (which is probably the last I'll be able to post for this story this month) is 100% MariChat, just purrrrfect for MariChat May, don't you think?_

 _Enjoy!_

* * *

 **Chapter 8**

The girl slowly reached up to take a piece of the apple pie from the makeshift table and caught a black gloved hand instead.

Had Marinette been just a normal teenage girl, she would probably have fainted or screamed. This would be an understandable reaction and one that Chat was expecting on getting caught. But unbeknownst to the feline hero she was nowhere near a regular girl and neither were her reflexes. He was dragged down in one swift, freakishly strong pull, his chin connected with a rising knee and suddenly there were more stars in view than the evening seemed to hold a moment ago. The kick sent Chat in the opposite direction but his flight was abruptly stopped when he hit the railing. Any usual mortal would be severely hurt after a welcome like that, yet thanks to the resistance provided by his superhero suit the boy was merely stunned, and even that mostly out of shock.

'Geeeeez, Princess,' he groaned rubbing his jaw and shaking his head to stop the ringing in his ears. 'That's animal cruelty, you know!' he sent her a reproachful look.

Marinette stiffened trying to assess the situation. She knew Chat wasn't really harmed, he took worst blows during their battles. And if he managed to knock out a half remark like that, he was already on his way to full recovery. That's when the initial guilt Marinette felt turned into exasperation almost in an instant. So much for her plan to rest. She put her hands on her hips and tapped her foot meaningfully zeroing her gaze on the intruder.

'What. Are. You. Doing. Here.' She drawled through gritted teeth raising her brow.

Chat Noir looked up at her and suddenly an image of a Valkyrie popped into his mind. Hitherto he had faced hundreds of criminals, tens of supervillains, and occasionally a vexed Ladybug, but somehow all those encounters paled in comparison to an exasperated Marinette. And the fact that she was wearing a pink woolly jumper with a crown in front somehow made her even scarier.

The boy decided to play it cool. He flashed her an impish smile, picked himself up from the floor and started to walk towards her with the usual swagger. He stopped mid step when Marinette's eyes narrowed.

'Oh, I was just patrolling the neighborhood, you know, after today's attack and all,' he desperately tried to put as much smoothness to his voice as humanly possible, but found that really difficult when she stared at him like that. 'And suddenly I smelled this beautiful aroma I simply couldn't resist.' He made a show of inhaling loudly and let out a contented sight. It looked like she didn't buy it.

'It's the cinnamon we add to apple pies.' Marinette said gravely picking up the plate and holding it out of his reach. She was still unimpressed which was unnerving. His previous encounters with the girl when he was suited up had gone much better and Adrien was sure she had been impressed by his superhero identity, hopefully even a bit intimidated. This time she wasn't impressed. _At all_. To be honest on the inside _he_ was already intimidated _by her_ as hell. Somewhere at the back of his mind a small voice was scolding him, reminding him he was supposed to be making friends with the girl, not get beaten and startled. He summoned every bit of the feline charm he had left and soldiered on.

'I wasn't talking about the pie, Princess.' He murmured casting her an amused glance, that took much more effort than it should. However that last line finally got to her as she flushed and fluttered her lashes suddenly very interested in the state of her feet. Chat took that as his cue to come closer.

Marinette no longer seemed crossed, but she still stood firmly in front of her deck chair and held the plate close to her. She was biting her lip and not meeting his gaze. The boy used the moment to watch her more closely while she wasn't paying attention. Once again he pondered on how unique this girl was and how much he felt drawn to her. He recalled how wonderful it felt to hold her close earlier that day, to feel the warmth radiating of her. Adrien was sure his racing heart would soon rip out of his chest and in that instant all his befriending plans were about to go out of the window. His head filled with pink haze as he realized the only thing he wanted to do was to reach for her and… He didn't actually got to the next part, as Marinette's voice brought him back from his own musings.

'Um… Chat? Can I ask you something?' she said in a much more gentle tone, that sent shivers down his spine.

'Sure, Princess,' he shrugged trying to cover up his giddiness.

'D-do you… do you call every girl a princess?' Marinette sent him a curious look. As Ladybug she hadn't really seen him doing that, although he was always chivalrous towards other girls, even if in an exaggerated fashion. But the image of Chat as a giant flirt just wouldn't leave her alone, especially now that she knew the unbelievable - that it was Adrien under that mask doing the flirting. She decided she needed to know.

Well, Adrien thought, there was only one thing he could say to that, wasn't it? And after yesterday it was even more obvious.

'Of course not. What kind of douchebag you take me for?' he entirely dropped the sass, sounding more concerned and serious than anything else. Marinette was about to let out the sigh of relief, but her breath hitched as the boy locked his endlessly green eyes with hers and concluded, 'There's only one Princess in Paris and she's holding a plate of delicious looking apple pie right now.'

Suddenly Adrien felt extremely self-conscious when his ears told him what Chat's mouth just said, and he would probably lose it, if he didn't notice how Marinette's cheeks reddened momentarily, and how she barely audibly gasped. His outer Chat took over and finally his trademark bravado kicked back. He leaned closer with a mischievous smile, acting as if nothing happened. 'Speaking of which, may I have some of that?' He pointed a finger at the plate.

Marinette snapped out of the previous stupor – this was _her_ Chat after all, she told herself. She could handle Chat all right. Or at least Ladybug could, but as it happened she kind of _was_ Ladybug already. How convenient.

The girl put on her usual cheeky smile with just a tad of Ladybugness. 'Didn't you get some already in the afternoon, Chat?' she asked teasingly and let out a giggle, a music to his ears.

The blonde straightened up and waved a hand dismissively. 'Ah, yes. But that was from your parents. I don't remember _you_ thanking me for saving the day,' he accented that with a wink. Contented he watched Marinette's eyes lit up, when she asked cockishly. 'What about Ladybug?'

He put on his best Cheshire Cat grin eyeing the plate, 'Tell you what. If she comes around before I'm finished with that pie, I'm willing to share. Otherwise it's her loss and more pie _furrr_ me.'

Of course, if there was anything Chat liked more than sweets, puns were a pretty safe bet. The girl laughed out loud shaking her head. She hit him playfully on the shoulder and passed him the plate saving a piece for herself. 'You're im _pie_ sible, Chat!'

His hand stopped half way to the pie and he looked at her searching for any signs that this didn't just happen, that all four of his ears just lied to him. But he was met with an amused and slightly daring stare.

'Did you just…' he started, his tone unwittingly husky. He cleared his throat. ' _Furrr_ sure you did, _Purrrrincesss,_ ' he drawled in a low purr that made Marinette's toes curl, took a piece of pie from the plate and slammed it into his mouth.

* * *

After that things got a little fuzzy for Marinette. Later she recalled that she had to go downstairs twice for another helping of the apple pie and lemon meringue. The two of them sat on the deck chairs, wrapped in the blankets, and talked about everything and nothing while pastries disappeared like snow in July.

At one point when they started talking about Cereal Killer Chat's eyes darkened. 'That was really brave of you rushing to your parents' rescue today,' he said. 'Dumb, but brave.' Marinette scowled at that, but he didn't let her interrupt. 'As much as I admire your courage, Princess… Don't you think facing an akuma without even an ordinary weapon is rather foolish?'

Marinette pouted and crossed her arms in a stubborn stance. 'I've done it before,' she stated before she could stop herself. Admittedly there were quite a few times when she couldn't transform and yet she was still able to gain them some advantage against the akumas. Once she even singlehandedly rescued Chat from Antibug. But it wasn't a point that would get her win this dispute, so she shut up hoping Chat wasn't expecting her to elaborate. Thankfully he indeed wasn't.

'Yup, you've done it. With _Nathanael_.' He said smugly and snorted amused with her resentful look. 'Tell me, after accepting that akuma did Nathanael demolish any stores? Destroyed public property? Threatened, kidnapped or brainwashed people maybe?' Chat leaned closer to her clearly having fun at her expense. 'Nope. He asked you on _a date_. It's hardly an event that qualifies as combat experience, wouldn't you agree?' He sat back wolfing another piece of apple pie with all the signs of enjoyment.

Marinette really wanted to wipe that shit-eating grin of his face, but she wasn't exactly in a position to argue. Chat was referring to the only experience civilian Marinette could have with an akuma that he was aware of. Still the competitive streak she was cursed with wouldn't just let her keep quiet. 'I totally could face an akuma,' she rebuked and sticked out her tongue. 'I got _you_ stunned and flying in what – half a second?'

For a moment Adrien hesitated. It was true, she got him and he didn't see that coming. Still, if it had been an akuma instead of him, her assault would only slow them down a bit, not inflicting any permanent damage. The sheer thought of Marinette being stubborn enough to fight a supervillain made him sick. And she looked exactly like someone who might try that, if she felt she wasn't taken seriously.

'Yup, and I was up in what – two seconds? What would you do then, pray? If I was an akuma?' That got her silenced, her lips pursed. Chat supposed he made his point and decided to lighten the mood.

'Tell you what, Princess. If you're so eager to kick some akum _ass_ , I could arrange a workout session at your leisure… Your fighting skills are very promising and I suppose me and Ladybug could use some civilian sidekicks, and as kicks go I can definitely vouch for yours,' he rubbed the faint bruise on his chin. 'You could even design your own suit.' He winked at her and was glad to see her smile.

'Thanks, but no thanks. I think I'm fine with what I've got,' she replied suppressing a yawn. She was getting tired but it felt so nice just talking to him she didn't want it to end. Besides, a thought was nagging at her mind and she was working up the courage to do something about it.

Marinette looked at Chat, noticing how relaxed and lighthearted he seemed. She couldn't remember ever seeing him like that be it as Chat or as Adrien. She doubted she would feel confident enough to ask any other time. 'Chat? Why exactly do you call me princess?' There. She finally got the question out.

Surprisingly the boy didn't seem in the least perturbed about her inquiry. He gave Marinette an uncomfortably long stare and she tried not to get lost in the green.

'Because you are one.' he finally declared, as if stating the obvious.

'Right, Chat.' She scoffed, regretting she brought up the subject at all.

'You don't believe me?' Chat asked, and there was no smugness in his voice. He took her hands in his. 'Well then, let me update you on the state of your princesshood.' He was serious although there was something else in his emerald eyes, almost… adoration?

'You're wise, kind and brave like a princess. You're unassuming like one. You're fair like a princess. You have your own tower and a balcony… hmm, should I check your room for any cursed spindles?' he chuckled. 'And last but not least you have yours truly as your knight. Surely that should be enough to grant you the title?' he concluded raising her hand to his lips and brushing it with a feather light kiss.

Marinette was… shocked she wasn't a pile of goo on the floor already. Not only that, but she actually had enough coherent thought left to banter. The only possible explanation was that her disoriented consciousness didn't catch up on the turn of events yet and would be presenting the check later on (*'Knock, knock, I'm your consciousness, remember me? I just dropped in to remind you how Adrien Agreste in a tight black suit gobbled apple pie on your balcony and complimented your civilian self. He's gone now. Go ahead and freak out all you want. Bye.'*)

'Well, if I am a princess, that must mean you are at least an earl. If your high praise is anything to go by I definitely deserve more than a mere knight.' She teased with a giggle. She noticed he didn't let go of her hands. And he still was looking at her with that gleam in his eyes that made her knees weak.

'Pfff, earl? Please, I'm definitely a prince material.'

'In that case, my Prince, you need a title.' Marinette decided taking her hands back and taping her chin with a finger. She casted a glance at Chat only to see him beaming with pride. 'Let me see…' She raised a quizzical brow at him. 'Prince Charming? True, but not quite,' She winked. Then her eyes widened as she had the most important revelation of her life. 'Got it!' She ran inside her room once more, leaving a flabbergasted Chat alone. In a moment she came back with a broom.

'Heading back to Hogwarts already, Princess?' Chat snickered.

'Kneel down, please.' She said in a stern voice, ignoring his chuckles.

Chat reluctantly sunk down on one knee in front of her and Marinette tapped each of his shoulder with the broom's handle.

'Arise, Sir Punsalot!' she announced, barely holding her laughter.

Chat didn't rise however. In fact he didn't even move. His eyes got bigger and bigger and his cheeks got redder and redder, and Marinette wondered if she overdid or offended him. But then the banana smile was back and Chat floated to cloud ninety nine. He slowly got up, took the broom out of her hands and pulled her in for a bone crushing hug. Marinette squeaked but hugged him back.

' _Thank you,_ ' he whispered in her ear and right then she knew she made a friend for life.

* * *

 _AN: Once again thank you for reading this story, for your reviews, favs and follows. They keep me going and inspire me._

 _Now please, please, tell me what you think of this chap._

 _Also: I don't really have much time to write these days, but I've managed to write a one-shot for MariChat May. I'll be posting it here, on AO3 and on my tumblr (_ _perditaalottachocolate-blog. tumblr_ _.com). It's for Day 19 - Identity reveal. Sooooo when the time comes, check it out if you're into MariChat! (and even if you're not, still read it, it's funny =^,^= )_

 _PS. For those of you who also like to read 'The Party' - in case you haven't noticed yet, I updated the story last week (first chapter after the hiatus), but for unknown reasons FF wasn't sending any notifications._


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